


A Home Found

by TheDyingStory



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Avian Au, Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Minor Violence, Polyamory, Sickfic, Wingfic, bird-hybrid au, harpy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-23 13:29:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11990787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDyingStory/pseuds/TheDyingStory
Summary: “Are you sure?”“Hunk,” Keith glares. “Cuddle Lance.”“Yeah, Hunk. Get your daily fills of Lance cuddles while you still can,” Lance jokes with a teasing smile. He sits up and reaches for Hunk.-----Lance is sick and Hunk and Keith work to help him get better.





	A Home Found

Keith’s eyes narrow as he stares at his target below, tightly holding his bow in position. He kept his body as still as possible, not even sparing a breath to keep steady. Indigo eyes trained on the figure below.

The large boar was digging through the ground, unaware of Keith’s presence. Perfect. Drawing his shoulders back, he pulled the bowstring, arrow in place and ready to fly. There’s a pause. Then in an instant, his fingers release their tight hold on the string.

_Snap!_

The boar jolts and moves quickly enough to dodge the arrow. It hits the ground with a hiss. The boar lets out a cry, stomping his hooves on the ground, and then bolts in the opposite direction. _Great_. There went the food.

Keith groans and turns around, looking at the one responsible for the snapping branch. Hunk stares back at him sheepishly. Frowning, Keith’s eyes travel up and down Hunk’s current position. He looks… stuck? One of his large wings seems to be caught on one of the branches of the tree. The other wing is tucked close to his back. His arms are raised outward as if to balance himself so he doesn’t fall down.

“Hunk,” he says. Standing up from his kneeling position, he jumps over to the large branch that Hunk is standing on.

“Uh, sorry,” Hunk cringes when Keith reaches up to pulls at the branch that Hunk’s wing is caught in.

“Think you can pull it back?” He asks, breaking away the little twigs that have been ensnared by Hunk’s feathers. Hunk nods, and slowly pulls his wings back before the branch is pulled along with it. Spotting where the problem was, Keith reaches up higher and yanks the offending branch back. As soon as his wing is free, Hunk pulls it to his back, keeping it tucked close to avoid getting tangled again.

“Thanks, man,” Hunk says, brushing some leaves off his shoulders.

“No problem,” Keith replies, hopping back onto his previous branch. Looking at the ground below him, his shoulder drop as the boar is nowhere to be seen. However, it’s tracks are easily noticeable in the mucky ground.

“So, since that boar is obviously long gone, think we can head back now?” Hunk asks, shifting on his feet.

“Hunk,” Keith frowns, raising a brow. “You—”

“I know. I know.” Hunk raises his hands in defense. “We need to get food, something big and beefy. Because it’s healthier and more nutritious than most smaller animals. And while I’m not one to be against, you know, food. But we could just hunt down a lot of smaller animals, which also would be much easier and less dangerous than a wild boar. Not to mention, a lot quicker.”

Keith's eyes soften. “Hunk. I know what you’re thinking. But you know that we have to get that boar. He _needs_ it.”

“Yes, I know that,” Hunk says. “I’m the one that brought up the whole getting a boar thing. It’s just… He’s _alone,_ Keith _._ It’s going to take us a while to actually take that thing down. One arrow isn’t going to cut it. And while we’re hunting this thing down, Lance could be in danger. He’s sick and alone. Any nearby predator would see him as an easy meal!”

“Lance can defend himself just fine,” Keith says, “he said so himself.”

Hunk snorts, “You actually believe that?”

“… No, but I know for a fact that some squirrel meat isn’t going to help him get better. You said so yourself that Laiso Boar meat can easily help him get back on his feet.” Keith counters.

Hunk sighs, shoulders drooping and eyes turned to the ground. “Okay, yes. We need to hunt that boar down. But do I really need to be here for this? Someone should be with him. What is he gets worse while we’re gone? His fever could spike. One of us should go back and watch over him.”

Keith shakes his head. “A boar that big needs more than one person to take it down. I need you to help me bring it down—and to carry it back.” Keith meets Hunk’s eyes. “I need you here with me. The sooner we get that boar; the sooner we can get back to Lance.”

For a second Hunk seems to shrink under Keith’s gaze, but then he sighs. Just barely noticeable, Hunk nods. “Okay. Let’s… let’s go get ourselves a boar.”

Smiling, Keith nods back. Dark wings stretch out and Keith steps off the branch, gliding down to the ground. Hunk follows suit, landing next to Keith.

“It couldn’t have gone far, even if it did it left behind pretty noticeable tracks,” Keith states, eyeing the deep tracks in the ground leading further into the forest. “If we move fast we can catch it.”

“It was digging for food just now, right? So it’ll be looking for another source of food. But that also means it’s hungry. And I don’t know about you, but these guys have been known to eat animals our size.”

Keith spreads his wings out. “Yeah, but it doesn’t stand a chance against the two of us.”

He leaps up and flies up onto a large branch of a different tree. He doesn’t check to make sure Hunk is following. The sound of Hunk’s wings beating was enough to assure him. Keeping his eyes on the trail left behind by the boar, he glides from one tree to another.

He can thank the past rainy days for making the ground soft enough for tracks to be easily left behind. It doesn’t take much focus to spot them. Of course, his eyes have always been sharp. So he’d still be able to notice the tracks, but it’s still something he’s grateful for. He’s still working on his tracking skills. Spotting tracks are easy but making sure they belong to the same animal’s he’s hunting is still a work in progress.

Glancing back, he checks to make sure Hunk is still keeping up. He’s doing fine, not stuck in any branches again, but his brows are furrowed in worry. It’s no surprise to Keith, he’s worried too. There’s a strong urge that keeps telling him to go back the Nest. Go back to Lance. But he can’t go back to Lance empty handed.

The sound of rushing water grabs his attention. It’s coming from the south, which is exactly where the tracks ahead of him turn towards. The idea of the boar heading towards a stream releases the tension in Keith’s muscles. If the boar stops for a drink, he can try hitting it with an arrow. This time he won’t miss though. But, Hunk was right. One arrow will not take it down. They’ll most likely end up trying to take it down in a fight, using the talons and strength.

Hunk’s strong and there’s no doubt in Keith’s mind that he’ll be able to hold it down. Keith, while not as strong, is fast and should be able to chase in the direction they desire. However, it is dangerous trying to take on a boar that size. So, they’ll have to be smart about it.

Keith runs over a plan in his head. Hit the boar with an arrow, aim for a leg so it’ll have trouble getting away, then try to hit it again in a fatal place, perhaps the neck. Try to use as many arrows as possible, then, if necessary, take it down with talons and strength. While it may not be the most in-depth plan, but it’ll work. He has an idea of what’s got to be done, the rest can be figured out as they go.

They reach the stream and sure enough, the boar is there. Keith crouches down from his position in the tree. Hunk sits back in the tree next to him, not making the slightest movement. The boar is once again unaware, or at least Keith thinks it’s unaware. He has never been one to understand the behavior of some animals.

Pulling an arrow from the quiver on his back, he gets into position. There’s a feeling of urgency. To get it done and over with. But he holds it down, inhaling slowly as he draws the bowstring. He needs to get this shot. They can’t afford to scare it off again.

The next few seconds are still and silent. Then finally the sound of the arrow cutting through the air disrupts it. The boar cries, stomping around and away from the stream, slow and limping. Perfect shot. He can just imagine the proud grin Lance would give him when he tells him all their practice paid off.

“Nice!” Hunk cheers, wings spreading wide, ready to soar down and engage.

“Let me get a few more hits before you go down there,” Keith says. “Try to keep it from getting too far if it makes a run for it.”

Hunk nods and flies over to another tree, his presence alerts the boar who then changes its direction of movement. Keith takes out another arrow, aims, and releases. The arrow flies and is embedded in near the shoulder, close to the neck where he had been aiming for. He manages hits the boar with two more arrows but misses his target more than he actually gets a hit, unfortunately.

The boar's movements are slow, but frantic, and can’t seem to find away to escape its hunters as Hunk keeps herding it, blocking its ways of escape. Keith slings his bow back over his shoulders. Nodding to Hunk, he glides down from his perch.

His feet hit the boar’s side, sending to toppling over on to its side, and he lands. The boar lets out a shriek as it stands back up. It charges for Keith. Reaching back, he tightly grabs the hilt of his knife. It may be small, especially against a boar, but it’s something. He’ll use his talons if it’s necessary, but at the moment he’ll hold this blade steady.

The boar charges and Keith keep on his toes, ready to dodge out of the way. But the boar doesn’t make it to him before it’s being rammed down from the side again. Hunk body-checks the large animal down to the ground. His large arms wrap around the neck of the boar, using all his strength to hold it down. It squeals and struggles against Hunk’s grip. Hunk grunts as the boar bucks. His face is contorted in frustration, his wings beating furiously to put more pressure down on the beast.

He can’t it hold it down forever, at least not without getting hurt. So, Keith rushes over to him, grabbing the boar by its tusks. Immediately, he is reminded of Hunk’s strength. He is just barely holding the boars head down.

He angles the boars head to its side and, in one swift movement, stabs its neck with his knife. It goes in deep, and the boar cries. It movements almost slow to a stop, now just breathing heavily.

Simply holding the knife steady, Keith doesn’t make any more movements. Instead, he looks up at Hunk. In a hushed voice, Hunk mumbles at thanks to the boar in a language that Keith has yet to understand. Hunk meets his eyes then nods.

Holding the hilt tightly, Keith yanks the knife out, cutting open its throat. The boar’s breathing comes to a halt, and it falls completely limp. Dead. Keith lets out a sigh of relief. Thank the sky, they managed to take it down quickly.

Hunk lets go of the boar, rolling his shoulders as he leans back. He looks just as relieved as Keith feels.

“You got the sack?” Keith asks.

“Yeah,” Hunk replies, grabbing the brown leathery bag tied to his belt. It takes a bit of a struggle to get the boar’s body into the large sack, but they manage. Hunk tosses it over his shoulders with a grunt.

“You got it?” Keith reaches out, hands hovering as he feels the need to help.

However, Hunk nods. “I got it. It’ll be a slow flight back, though. You go on ahead.”

“Are you sure?” Keith asks, biting his lip. “I can help carry it so it’ll be quicker.”

“Dude, you’ve seen these guns,” Hunk raises his arms, flexing his muscles. Keith feels his face warm up and holds back a smile. Well, Hunk’s not wrong. He has seen those guns and has been well acquainted with them.

With a reassuring smile, Hunk continues, “I got this. Besides, I think we’d both feel better if one of us got back to Lance as soon as possible. You can get back in no time.”

Keith frowns but nods anyway. “Okay, but if you run into any trouble along the way back, call me.”

“Keith, you don’t need to worry about me. If anyone sees what I’m carrying, they’ll know not to pick a fight with me—”

“Or they’ll have more reason to.” Keith counters. He’ll be damned if he lets another one of his mates get hurt.

Hunk’s eyes soften. “I’ll call if I need you. But right now, Lance needs you more. I’ll be just a few minutes behind you.”

Letting out a sigh, Keith says, “Okay… I’ll see you back home.”

Smiling, Hunk gives him a salute. He leaps into the air, his large brown wings beating, and lands on a large branch. Keith spreads out his wings and follows, landing on a separate branch. He spares Hunk one last glance, making sure that Hunk has got this. Hunk gives him a thumbs up and that’s all he needs before he takes off again.

Weaving through the giant trees, Keith speeds up. He moves with a skill that came from hard practice and… rough past experiences. These woods have become incredibly familiar to him over the years. Thanks to that, he’s learned how to easily fly and navigate through them.

He passes several markers along the way that tell him he’s going to right direction. A large stone like looks like a butterfly, a tree like looks like an old man, and a small pond that’s home to a little family of frogs. Finally, a tree with symbols and runes carved into the dark wood comes into view. _Home_. He loops around the tree until he comes to the entrance and lands in front of it.

The door is shut tightly, just as he left it. There’s no sign of any forced entry attempts or any foreign scents. He pushes the door open and enters.

It’s relatively quiet except for the sound of a fire crackling. Tucking his wings in, he slips off his boots and walks in. It’s warm, and sure enough, the stone fireplace has a light glow. It’s not a big fire—that would be a horrible idea since they’re in a tree. Just big enough to keep things cozy.

There are more carvings on the walls, having been placed over the years. He can easily point out certain carvings and know who had made them. A large lion had been etched into the wall near the fireplace by Allura. Next to it was a carving of a wolf’s head which had been done by Shiro. Pidge had carved a turtle into the wall near the entrance—the turtle had glasses too. Some runes were next to it as well, also done by her. A fox was carved next to Pidge’s—Matt had made that one. The fox had glasses but that was Pidge’s doing. Coran’s carving was an owl that was on the wall of the kitchen area.

Keith’s, Lance’s, and Hunk’s carvings were all on the walls that surrounded their bed—which is an actual nest of blankets (not much of a surprise). Keith carved a panther, which looked decent enough but noticeably done with a shaky hand. His name was carved above the panther. Hunk’s carving was a large bear and his name was above it as well. Lance’s was a dolphin—Keith had to ask him what it was when he had made it—and his name was carved above it as well.

They had all placed their marks after Keith, Lance and Hunk had made this tree their home. They had earned it all after defending it endlessly and keeping opponents and threats away. It took lots of work to make this their _Nest_ , but they succeeded.

His eyes trail over the detail of the carvings that surround their nest. Hunk’s carving had to the best. His steady hand and skill showed through the design etched into the wood. Lance’s carving may not look as good as Hunk’s but it was better than Keith’s, and it had a sense of personality to it. From the carvings, his gaze flickers down to the nest.

The blankets are piled up, rising and falling softly as the person underneath them breathed. Silky blue wings hang over the edge of the nest, twitching lightly. Relief floods Keith’s chest. He’s breathing which means he’s not dead. That’s good… _obviously_.

Keith approaches the nest carefully. As he gets closer, he can see the top of Lance’s head peek out of the covers. Slowly, he steps into the nest and lies down next to him. Lance stirs in sleep, a soft sigh falling from his lips. Blue eyes open to meet Keith’s. They're bloodshot and glossy…

Keith reaches out to cup Lance’s cheek, thumb brushing over the soft skin under his eye. A small smile tugs at the corner of Lance’s lips and he tilts his head into his hand. Keith holds back a frown. Lance definitely feels hotter than he had this morning. Hopefully, his fever hasn’t spiked too much while they were gone.

“Hey,” Keith says, quietly.

“Hey, hot-stuff,” Lance replies. His voice is hoarse and he probably shouldn’t be speaking at all.

“How’re you feeling?” He asks. “Do you need some water?”

“Water sounds great,” Lance replies, weakly.

Keith nods and climbs out of the nest. He grabs a mug from one of the cupboards and holds it under the tap. Bless Hunk for his skills (the others did help too, but it was his design and thinking). They have an entire water system set up. It collects rain water, filters it out to make completely drinkable water. And if it doesn’t rain for a while, they can use a second tap which takes water from the tree.

Returning to the nest, he hands the mug over to Lance who sits up from his spot. The covers fall from Lance’s shoulders, revealing bare, flushed skin. He must have taken off his shirt while they were gone. But, something tells him that Lance isn’t wearing pants either. He represses a chuckle when he notices Lance’s bedhead too. At least he got some sleep.

Lance drinks the water slowly before setting the mug down on the floor outside the nest.

He holds his hand out, reaching for Keith and he gladly takes it. Holding back his eagerness, Keith creeps back into the sheets, wings flaring out before surrounding him and Lance. A comforting gesture. Lance’s does the same, wings curling under and around Keith’s own. He presses his forehead against Lance’s, feeling the heat radiate from the other.

“Where’s Hunk?” Lance asks.

Keith brings a hand to Lance’s hair, running his fingers through brown locks. Tucking Lance’s head under his chin, he lies down in the nest. “He’s on his way back. The boar was pretty big, so it’ll take him a bit longer to get back since he’s carrying it.”

“You seriously took down a boar?” Lance asks in disbelief. “Why?”

“For you,” Keith answers instantly. His grip around Lance tightens, keeping him close.

Lance huffs, “I’m not _that_ sick. You guys didn’t need to do that.”

“Lance… you could barely move yesterday. It may not as bad right now, but it could still get worse. You need the nutrients. And Hunk knows exactly what to make which should help you.” He feels Lance sigh and soothingly runs his hand over Lance’s back. He presses a kiss to the top of Lance’s head.

“Fine, fine. If you say so,” Lance tiredly mumbles. He lets out a yawn and curls up closer to Keith. Brushing hair out of Lance’s face, Keith chirps and smiles when Lance replies with his own small, tired chirp.

It’s not a sound Keith makes often, and when he does it’s only around a few people such as Hunk, Lance, and Shiro. Shiro was the first person he ever made a chirp towards. It had caught both of them completely off guard when it happened too. Oh, skies, how had that been embarrassing at first. Luckily, Shiro assured him it was fine and was even happy about it. It meant that Keith trusted him. They’re relationship turned for the better a while after that, even getting to the point where they were like brothers to one another.

Lance and Hunk were a different story, and the sounds and songs they shared with each other were a bit more… intimate? Romantic? But the trust was all the same.

Movement catches Keith’s eye. Looking up from Lance, he sees Hunk come in through the entrance. His large brown wings stretch out and he gives them a shake, the feathers quivering as he does so. His eyes meet Keith’s gaze and he smiles, eyes flickering down to Lance’s curled up form. There is unsaid relief in his soft eyes. He saunters over to them but doesn’t enter the nest.

“Hey,” Keith says. “Made it back okay?”

“Mhmm,” Hunk nods, leaning down to press a light kiss to Keith’s lips. And, skies, does Keith want to pull him into the nest and keep him close. But he pulls away to continue. “The boar’s outside right now.”

Keith hums. “Want to join us?”

Sadly, Hunk shakes his head. “Still got to get that meat ready. But I’ll join in after it’s done.”

“Better wash after you’re done, though,” Lance mumbles sleepily. “Don’t want to get blood and gross meaty things in our nest.”

Hunk chuckles and leans over Keith to press a kiss to Lance’s forehead. “Whatever you say, Lance.” He pulls away, almost reluctantly. He turns to Keith. “I’ll be an hour or so.”

“Okay,” Keith nods. As much as he would rather Hunk stay with them, he doesn’t fight him. He knows what needs to be done. Even if his instincts are screaming at him to keep Hunk and Lance close to him. So, he compromises with his feelings and says, “Call if you need help.”

Hunk nods. “I will,” he says softly and presses a kiss Keith’s cheek. It takes all the strength he has to not pull Hunk into the nest.

Hunk exits after grabbing some utensils from the kitchen. He’s most likely at the large branch on the south side of the tree; the “Butcher Branch” as called by Hunk and Lance, where they deal with all the prey they caught. It’s a pretty messy area. But on the bright side, it’s intimidating too. It’ll make people think twice before trying to take their _Nest_ or pick a fight.

Until Hunk’s finished, Keith will keep watch over Lance, making sure he stays hydrated and feels safe and comfortable. It’s a wonder how he even managed to leave Lance this morning. The idea of leaving him right now seems unbearable. The loudest voice in his head is screaming at him to protect their ill partner.

Said ill partner has fallen back to sleep. Lance’s breathing is relatively even, but a bit raspy. Hopefully, he doesn’t get pneumonia or anything worse. Things seem better today though. At least, it’s better than it was last night at least.

Last night was rough for Lance. He hardly got any sleep; constantly waking up to a coughing fit, unable to get comfortable. He even threw up about four times throughout the night. At one point, he was borderline delirious, calling out names that Keith didn’t recognize. Hunk knew some of the names but there were still ones that were foreign to even him—which said something about Lance’s condition.

Last night was… terrifying. It sent fear through him like a dagger laced with ice. Even so, he was able to keep himself sensible enough to go out hunting. Although there’s a large part of him that feels like he should have listened to Hunk, and that they should’ve stayed with Lance. They were lucky that Lance was fine when they got back.

If something had happened to Lance while they were gone… Keith wouldn’t have been able to live with himself. Lance has been his rock for a long while and so has Hunk. Without either of them, he has no idea what he’d do.

The thought brought him back to a time when he was alone. Alone in the scorching desert, fighting for survival. He was small compared to the other bird-hybrids that thrived in the desert. In other words, he was prey. The majority of the scars he has had came from that desert. Without any parents to protect him, he had to learn to fight and defend himself, all while trying to find food, water, and shelter on his own. That desert was the only thing he ever knew and loathed until he had run into a certain bird-hybrid, Shiro.

It was after just escaping an attack from a _Naga_ which had, unfortunately, bit him. He still distinctly remembers the searing pain from the venom as it had traveled through his veins. He was sure that was going to die then.

Shiro had found him slowly dying on the desert ground. At first, he had though Shiro was just like any other large bird of prey, one that saw him as an easy meal. Except, instead of finishing him off, he did the opposite. He had taken Keith to Matt, who lived just outside the desert.

Matt had the antivenin for the bite and gladly treated Keith’s injury. However, it had taken a whole two weeks for Keith to recover. Shiro stayed with him the entire time. He learned a lot about Shiro during those two weeks, and much about Matt too.

Shiro had lived up north, in mountainous areas at the time. But he travels a lot and had lots of places that he could call home. Not because he couldn’t find the right place to live in, however. As he had told Keith, it was because he just felt like he had to. Perhaps it was instincts or simply because he liked flying. He still moves around often, but it’s not as frequent anymore. Presently, he has a place on a mountain that is closer to the others, rather than farther north like before.

It was during Shiro’s travels that he met Matt and Katie Holt (better known as Pidge). Keith didn’t meet Pidge until she showed up during the second week of Keith’s recovery. Matt became skilled in medicines and such, while Pidge was more into tracking and engineering. Both of them were colorful birds, born in a jungle. He had thought it was weird at first since jungle birds tend to stay in the jungle over other places—especially places like the desert.

The reason Matt and Pidge lived just outside the desert was that they were looking for their father, who went missing in said desert. They did find him eventually, about a year after Keith had met them.

After he had recovered fully, Keith had decided to travel with Shiro for a while. Shiro was glad to have Keith join him.

It was during his travels with him that he met Allura and Coran. They lived down south in a cave system, _underground_. Now that was definitely odd, but not too odd as Keith was familiar with a burrowing tactic to hide from larger bird-hybrids. But it was one thing to use it as a survival tactic, and another to do it by choice.

Then again, Allura and Coran were part of a rare race of birds that had evolved to live in deep, cave systems where there was virtually no light. Have you ever seen a bioluminescent bird-hybrid? Keith hadn’t until he met them.

He met other people as well, but they never really stood out to him as the others had. He vaguely remembers someone named Shay and someone named Rolly (Rolo? He wasn’t sure). Shiro had even become like a brother to him during their shared time. He even grew to understand why Shiro liked to travel. To have so much freedom… it was exhilarating.

It also wasn’t long before they had found their selves back at the Holt’s.

As close as Keith had become with Shiro, he had also begun to see Pidge as family as well. Matt even joked about Keith stealing his sister from him…

Matt hadn’t been laughing when Pidge had said she wanted Keith to come with her when she had to make a trip west, though.

Even though Shiro wouldn’t be with them, Keith had gladly accompanied her. Part of him had felt like he was becoming too dependent on the Shiro but he still wanted to travel, so it was like taking out two mice with one talon.

The trip west with Pidge had taken them to the coastline. Keith was familiar with the desert and all its hostility, but the ocean was a whole different game. And there’s a reason why Keith avoids swimming as much as possible, even if Hunk and Lance are around. He doesn’t know how to swim and avoids water as much as he can like other bird-hybrids of his kind. Back then, he thought it wasn’t so bad until he took a dive into the ocean.

It had been Lance who pulled him out of the water. Those blue eyes had brought many things to the surface. Things that Keith hadn’t been familiar with at all. Lance had been the one to start a whole new fire in his chest that hadn’t been there before…

“Wow,” Lance had said, looking Keith directly into his eyes. “You must the dumbest bird I’ve ever met.”

Of course, it had been Lance to instantly call him an idiot the second he was conscious… Pretty blue eyes be damned, that instantly made Keith click at him. As you can see, they got off on the wrong foot.

_But it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t know how to swim! He was a desert bird!_

Even though they butted heads, Lance had welcomed Pidge and Keith to his _Nest_ built into large cliffs just off of the shore. His family had been just ecstatic to have company over, which was odd since Pidge and Keith were complete strangers to them. Normally, most people don’t let strangers into their home unless they planned on eating them. Which luckily didn’t happen to either Pidge or Keith… although, the fact that they kept shoving food at them had been suspicious.

It had taken a while but Lance and Keith did reach a point where they could call each other friends—sometimes anyway. But things were still rocky between them when Hunk came into the picture.

Lance had already known Hunk, who lived on an island not too far from the coast. Their families were well-acquainted with each other, so they knew each other at a young age. “Ocean birds stick close to other ocean birds,” Lance’s older sister had explained.

Hunk had come over to trade materials with Lance’s family and to visit. It had been a surprise for him to see Keith and Pidge there—a little suspicious at first too—but he ended up giving them both huge welcome hugs anyway.

Keith had found himself staring at Hunk often, completely enraptured by him. But can you blame him? Most of his thoughts ended up being of Hunk. He even dreamed of curling up against the other in a nest they made together. It was sappy and oh-so domestic but, skies, he had wanted those dreams to come true.

Now, those thoughts had caused some… _interesting_ behavior from him. Honestly, he had just wanted to get closer to Hunk. Those feelings were new and he wasn’t familiar with them so he hadn’t been sure how to act.

He didn’t even know he had been courting Hunk until Pidge brought it up. To which he responded with shock and embarrassment. He’s sure he had looked like a tomato.

“Wait,” Pidge had said, completely awestruck. “You mean; you’ve been doing this on _accident_?”

“How was I supposed to know giving others pieces of metal counted as courting?!” He had exclaimed back. Honestly, how was he supposed to know? He lived in a desert, alone for most of his life. And there weren’t any other bird-hybrids willing to teach him things.

“ _Dude_.” Pidge had just said. The conversation had ended there.

Really though, Keith had just wanted Hunk’s attention. But he had found that he didn’t plan to stop what he was doing, even now that he knew what it meant.

He hadn’t been sure if Hunk would respond to his courting and was surprised when Hunk did. He’d give Keith things, not metal trinkets, but little shiny rocks and gems. Which may have caused to Keith to work harder to find even prettier things to give Hunk. Flowers, candles, stones, spices, or anything that he thought Hunk would like or use.

Thanks to Hunk’s and Keith’s blooming relationship, he and Pidge stayed with Lance’s family a lot longer than anticipated. Not that Pidge minded since she had her own reasons. There were lots of things she wanted to learn and Lance’s family knew plenty to teach her. Also, she and Hunk ended up being close friends too, they pretty much became tinkering buddies.

But also with Keith and Hunk’s relationship starting to take off into much more romantic and intimate territory, he had been sure that Lance would disapprove of it. He had been expecting an outburst. A fight. Something aggressive. They didn’t get along and it would make sense for Lance to be angry about losing his best friend to someone he didn’t like.

Except… that didn’t happen at all. Lance had cornered Keith, but instead of getting angry he was calm.

“While I’m not too happy Hunk had to fall in love with someone with a mullet,” Lance had commented. _Classic_ , Keith had thought. “I’m glad he fell in love with someone like you.”

Keith couldn’t believe what he had just heard Lance say. In such a state of shock, he couldn’t formulate a response.

“I mean; you can’t be all _that_ bad if Hunk likes you. He has a good sense of character. It’s like a six sense. He knows who to trust or who not to trust,” He had continued. “and I guess, I can see why he hasn’t rejected you or anything. You’re strong, clearly skilled at a lot of things, crazy passionate, and I guess you’re okay-looking.”

That had really caught Keith’s attention. It had been just so out of character for Lance to compliment him like that. But the fact that he had said “I can see why” is what stuck with him. So much that he’d repeat it over and over in his head for weeks afterward.

“Normally, I’d say if you hurt him I’ll make you regret it, but the big guy is fully capable of handling it himself. He may be a softie, but he isn’t a push over.” Lance had smiled fondly. That smile would also later show up in Keith’s dreams.

Then Lance’s expression had turned serious, determined. “But you really need to know some things.”

Lance would then go from being someone he simply saw as a ‘sort-of-friend?’ to a good friend and wingman. No one really saw that coming.

He’d give Keith tips and advice on how to be a good mate with Hunk. At first, Keith was cautious about taking his advice, but when it paid off he made sure to listen to everything Lance had to say.

It came as a shock for him to find out how much Lance knew about romance. From what he had seen, Lance had appeared to be egotistic, cocky, and unable to actually woo anyone.

Even though he never had a partner himself, Lance seemed to know everything about a good relationship. Maybe something good did come from all those flirting failures and small hookups he had (although not as often as one would think)? Or maybe he just knew Hunk so well that he was able to give Keith tips on being a perfect mate. But he didn’t know Keith as well as he did Hunk, so that hadn’t explained how he knew what advice to give Hunk.

Yes, Lance had _also_ been giving Hunk relationship advice. So either he was some romance guru, or Lance had been paying both Hunk and Keith close attention. (It was both).

While Hunk and Keith’s relationship became established. Lance had caught both of their eyes. It had to have been because of all the time they had been spending with him. He was dead set on making sure that both of his friends were in a happy, healthy relationship. This determination is what had brought them all closer. Keith had spent a lot of time with Lance, just as much time as he’d spend with Hunk.

Unlike when he had unknowingly slipped and tumbled into being love with Hunk, he saw the signs quickly. This time he caught onto what was going on when he found himself staring at Lance’s soft lips for too long or looking deeply into those sapphire eyes.

He had fallen for Lance now too.

Keith had recalled Lance advice to always be honest and true to your mate. Which is what prompted him to confess to Hunk that he wasn’t the only one on his mind. But, apparently, Hunk was in the same boat as him and had been for a while longer. They were both stuck in the ‘Pining-for-Lance’ boat and didn’t see away to get off of it.

 It didn’t really help that Lance had a habit of flirting with others. In their minds, it was like he was an island that was surrounded by deadly whirlpools. It would only result in heartbreak.

But for every person they saw Lance flirt with, they also saw every hurt look he’d cast to the ground. He’d faced plenty of heartache and disappointment. Yet, he didn’t stop trying to find someone who’d love him back. So, why should they let the fear of heartbreak stop them from chasing after Lance when he never let it stop him?

It had started subtly. A little comment here, a little lingering contact there. Just little clues to test out the water before actually diving into it all.

Then they started to notice something. The little flush of Lance’s cheeks, how he’d quickly look away or hide his face, and the little stutter and tremble in his responses. And sometimes when he thought they weren’t looking, they’d even catch him staring at them with fondness and longing.

It had then become clear (to Hunk first and he had to tell Keith). Their affection wasn’t as unrequited as they had thought.

After that revelation, they had started courting him. Keith would give him seashells and candles, while Hunk would give him gemstones and flowers. They probably overwhelmed him with the gifts, especially since it had happened rather abruptly. Because after about of week of giving him gifts, he had stormed over to their hideaway, demanding an explanation.

 Keith smiles fondly when he thinks of Lance’s reaction to their answer for him. It had been a bit dramatic but ultimately adorable when he had turned bright red and couldn’t form an intelligible response. He hadn’t expected his feelings to be requited. Of course, it took a bit of convincing since he kept trying to counter them—he even asked if it was a prank.

Now, while Keith was never really the patient kind and typically would react on impulse. Back then, he lacked self-control. But, it had actually been Hunk to charge in headfirst, borderline impulsively. Lance had yelped as Hunk scooped him up in his arms and carried him off to his and Keith’s nest (which had been small, and temporary).

Nests were shared with mates, so bringing Lance into their nest had done the trick. It definitely triggered a rather emotional response from him too—they hadn’t expected him to get teary-eyed, which ended up making them teary-eyed as well. But Lance had believed them, and that’s what mattered. They had spent the rest to the night cuddling, talking, and basically smothering each other with affection until they had fallen into blissful sleep.

Lance would prove himself to the best mate anyone could ever have. His gifts were the best, too. He’d give Hunk blueprints, tools, recipes, herbs, flower-crowns and clothes that he had made himself. Keith had been given seashells, few knives, polish and sharpening tools for said knives, and handmade gloves, flower-crowns, and clothes as well. He even got a _large_ shark tooth that Lance had found (he prays that he never encounters that shark it belonged too). Lance loves attention and contact, and they had found that out quickly. He’d curl up against them, wrap his wings around them, and _chirp._ Sometimes he’d sing too and, skies, did that make Keith love him even more. Lance made sure they always knew that he loved them.

Lance was amazing. So amazing, that neither Hunk or Keith could understand how no one had tried court him before them. Who could possibly not want someone as loving and as loyal as Lance?

They got their answer a little while later when they had met a girl—Nyma—that Lance had previously tried to court.

“It’s about time,” Nyma had commented when she learned of their relationship. She was grinning, her sharp teeth gleaming.

“What?” Keith had asked, confused.

“I said it’s about time,” she had repeated. “He was constantly making goo-goo eyes at you guys, always smiling and blushing when he talked about the two of you. Yeah, he talked about guys a lot. It was almost way too obvious that he head-over-heels for ya both.”

“Really? He talked about us a lot?” Hunk had blinked at her in surprise.

“Yep. Non-stop… okay, maybe not that much. But it was enough for me to turn him down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you both are just as great as Lance says. He’s a pretty good mate himself, too, I bet. If he wasn’t so in love with you two, I wouldn’t have courted him right back. But… I just prefer to be in a relationship where I’m the only one on my mate’s mind.” She had explained with a shrug. “Pretty everyone else he’d flirt with knew who his heart really belonged.”

She wasn’t wrong either. They both made it a little secret mission to ask all of Lance’s past interests why they turned him down. Their answers were all the same. Lance’s heart was never given to those he’d flirt with because Hunk and Keith had already taken it.

Lance had loved them both for much longer than they had expected. So they made it their goal to show him just how much they loved him as well. Keith even sang back to him, which is something he’d never done before for his own little reasons. He was out of practice and it didn’t sound very good. Hunk and Lance thought differently though and encouraged him to sing with them more often.

Eventually, Pidge did have to return home. While Keith wanted to stay with Hunk and Lance, he also missed Shiro.

Keith had been torn. He had made himself a home with Lance and Hunk, one that he didn’t want to leave. But life by the ocean wasn’t something he was quite made for like both Hunk and Lance were. The last thing he wanted was to take Lance and Hunk away from their families too.

Reluctantly, he had made to decision to leave with Pidge. But apparently, Hunk and Lance had made some plans of their own as well. They knew exactly what was going on in Keith’s head.

They had dropped their own packs full of supplies right down next to Keith’s.

“We’re going with you,” Lance had said, looking Keith dead in the eye.

Keith couldn’t even respond before Hunk was yanking him into a strong, bear hug.

“We’re partners, man.” Hunk had told him. “We stick together.”

He would be lying if he said he hadn’t cried. Because he did. Oh boy, had he cried. He didn’t have to leave them behind. He didn’t have to leave another home.

They all traveled together. He introduced them to Shiro and Matt. Shiro had given Keith a hug that could rival Hunk’s after he learned of their relationship. Allura and Coran had come to visit the Holts and were pleasantly surprised to see Keith. But apparently, Hunk and Lance weren’t new faces to them.

Next thing Keith knew; it was like the pieces of a puzzle all came together. Surrounded by those people, it was like he could never possibly be tormented by loneliness again. He had found a home in all of them. Even when far away from one another, they were all still there.

It was not long after that the three of them decided to make their own _Nest_. They found it in a beautiful forest with large trees, right in the middle so they were never too far from the others. Keith was to one who picked out the tree and it was one of the largest trees in the forest too. It took almost two months for their new _Nest_ to be complete, but the other’s gladly helped.

While he still enjoys traveling, it’s hard to leave this little home that they’ve made for themselves.

 _I guess I just finally found a reason to stay,_ he thinks as he looks Lance curled up against him.

A warm hand rests on his shoulder blade and he nearly jumps out of the nest. His head snaps harshly to the side to see Hunk with a gentle smile.

“Relax,” he says, “It’s just me. You okay?”

“I’m fine. You just caught me off guard.”

“ _Obviously_. You looked really deep in thought just now,” Hunk points out. He sits down in the nest next to Keith. His left wing stretches out over the three of them, acting almost like a blanket.

“Just… reminiscing, I guess.” Keith asks, relaxing back into the cushiony nest.

Hunk hums, “What about exactly?”

“About… you know, about when we met and stuff.”

“Oh.” Hunk nods, resting his head on Keith’s unoccupied shoulder. “Good things? Or bad things?”

“Hmm, both I guess.” Keith answers. Quickly, he adds, “Mostly good things, though.”

“Like?” He quietly asks. He sounds like he wants to doze off.

“Well, like how I gave you pieces of metal and had no idea that it could be seen as courting.”

This gets a small giggle from Hunk. “Seriously? You didn’t know you were courting me then?”

“Yep. Pidge had to explain it to me. And it actually only encouraged me to keep giving you things.” Keith smiled, tilting his head to rest in on Hunks. “You were stuck in my head most of the time. Couldn’t get you out of it.”

“That’s nice to know since I couldn’t stop thinking about you too.” Keith can hear the smile in Hunk’s voice.

“Hm, yeah. We were pretty hopeless back then, huh?”

“I don’t know man… I still think we’re pretty hopeless—hopelessly in love, anyway.”

“You’re probably right,” Keith says. “Lance helped make less bad though.”

“ _Dude._ He made us even more hopeless by being too lovable for his own good.”

Keith laughs, “Fuck, you’re right. We were a bigger mess because of his cute face.”

“Wat abop mu cut fuce,” Lance slurs. Yawning, he rubs his eyes and blinks at Hunk. “Oh, hey Hunk.”

“Hey, buddy,” Hunk replies. “How’re you feeling?”

“Eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh.” Lance shoves his face back into Keith chest, who snorts.

“Not that good, huh?” Hunk interprets. “I’ll get that stew ready, then. Just sit tight—”

“ _No,_ ” Keith cuts him off. “You’re not leaving the nest.”

“But—”

“I’ll get the stew ready, it’s your turn to stay with Lance.” Hunk responds with a skeptical look. Keith sighs, “There’s a recipe, right? If I go off of that, it’ll be fine. I’m not that hopeless in the kitchen.”

“Are you sure?”

“Hunk,” Keith glares. “Cuddle Lance.”

“Yeah, Hunk. Get your daily fills of Lance cuddles while you still can,” Lance jokes with a teasing smile. He sits up and reaches for Hunk.

Suddenly, he his hand retracts, covering his mouth, as he hunches over and coughs. The coughs sound wet and, from his grimace, must be painful too. Keith and Hunk are instantly at his side. Hunk rubs his back in soothing motions, while Keith grabs a hold of one his hands.

Keith shares a look with Hunk. Lance has gotten warmer, which isn’t good. His fever is spiking and they need do what they can now. He looks back at Lance and feels his heart ache. Lance is only going to get worse, and it’s going to hit them harder than it had last night.

He… He can’t lose Lance.

The coughing eventually resides after a few minutes. But Lance breathing is ragged and choked. He could go into another coughing any second.

“I’m… I’m okay,” he tries to wave them off.

Hunk shakes his head, “No, you’re not. Lay back down.”

Lance doesn’t get any input as Hunk is already pushing him back down into the nest.

“I’ll get the stew going,” Keith says. Pressing a kiss to Lance’s forehead and giving Hunk a nod, he leaves them to get the stew ready.

He finds the recipe in a large book with a red cover. There are little notes written in the margins of the page. Looks as though Hunk made some changes to the recipe. Luckily, they have all the ingredients listed. All herbs and spices accounted for, and meat ready to be used. Even if they didn’t Hunk wrote down alternative ingredients that work just as well.

The meat has been placed in the storage room, which miraculously is cold. Keith isn’t sure how it was managed, but he’s sure Allura had a hand in it (something magical, of a sort). He grabs a couple large slabs of the prepared meat and sets it on a cutting board. The first step was to cube the meat, so he does so.

Cooking is not something Keith is skilled in. Hunk is the best out of the three of them but Lance comes in as a close second. They had been taught well by their families. Keith, on the other hand, was used to just catching things, skinning them, and cooking them over a small fire. And his diet had mostly consisted of small rodents or reptiles he managed to catch in the desert. Nothing large or meaty like this.

Hunk and Lance had gladly taught him what they knew, so he could cook. But it didn’t always taste great. So he only ever did the basic of cooking. And this stew was way above his skill level. Despite his lack of experience in the kitchen, he was determined to do this.

Pulling a large, iron pan from under the counter, he walks over to the fireplace. He throws in another piece of firewood and pokes at the coals with a metal stoker. Once he deems the fire suitable, he neatly places the pan over it. He grabs oil from the pantry and fills the bottom of the pan with it. Following the next instructions, he places a layer of cubed meat into the pan and throws in some salt and pepper. He lets it sear as he turns his attention to the notes that Hunk has written on the sides.

It will take a while for this stew to be ready, and he’s sure it’ll take him a little longer to make it than it would if someone else were making it. He’ll just have to put as much effort into it as he can.

The second he has the time to take a little break, his gaze flickers over to the nest. Lance is resting right on top of Hunk who has his arms wrapped around him. His droopy eyes indicate that is very close to falling asleep once more. Contrastingly, Hunk is wide awake, running his hands in soothing motions over Lance’s back. He avoids touching Lance’s wings as they occasionally twitch in his sleep. Faintly, Hunk’s lips are moving as he whispers quietly to Lance.

Smiling softly to himself, he continues following the recipe. The meat has already been transferred out of the pan and the vegetables are just about done. It’s not even complete and the smell is already making his mouth water. By the time it’s done, he bets that the entire room will be smelling of stew for a long while.

A cough startles him from his work. Another coughing fit. It sounds worse than the first one. Lance is hunched over, now awake, and coughing into his fist. The grimace on his face gives away the pain he’s experiencing. Hunk spreads out his wing and rests it over Lance, trying to comfort him as he mumbles reassurances. Keith feels the urge to go over and comfort him as well but he holds strong and focuses on his work, chopping the vegetables at a faster pace. He nearly nicks himself with the knife.

It seems like hours by the time the stew is finished. He takes the pot and places it on the counter. A hand on his shoulder almost makes him jump. Hunk kisses his cheek and has a bright smile on his face.

“It looks great,” he comments. “You’re not trying to steal my throne, are you?”

Keith snorts and turns around to face him. “Yes, that’s been my plan all along.”

Hunk hums, “I shoulda known. You always had paid too much attention to detail when I worked. You’ve been stealing my techniques.”

“Maybe I just like watching you work?” Keith presses a chaste kiss to Hunk’s lips. “You’re really passionate when you do. It’s captivating.”

Hunk’s cheeks flush and Keith feels a swell of pride. He kisses Hunk once more, this time harder and lingering. Neither of them wants to pull away, but they do.

“Um, I think’s it's cooled down enough now.” Hunk says, “I’ll dish us up. You go to the nest.”

 Giving Hunk a peck on the cheek, he makes his way back to the nest.

Lance has returned to his sleepy state, his coughing fit ended not too long ago. The first thing Keith’s notices is the increased flush of his cheeks and the sweat coating his skin. The skins around Lance’s eyes are reddened and he’s not sure if it’s from the fever or from tears. Maybe both.

Stepping into the nest as carefully and slowly as possible, he lays down next to his mate. He raises his hand to cup the side of Lance’s face, running a thumb over his cheekbone. Lance’s eyes flutter open. Leaning into the touch, he sighs. Keith lets out a comforting chirp and moves closer to Lance.

Lance is an affectionate person, always has been. He loves attention and intimacy. Can’t live with out it. Keith can understand why. He remembers the loneliness and the idea of experiencing it again is terrifying. He can hardly imagine how terrible loneliness feels for Lance, as someone who’s virtually never been alone for his entire life.

There was once a time where Lance had been left alone for almost a month. Keith and Hunk had to make a trip to Hunk’s island but their _Nest_ had yet to be complete. Someone could try to take it while they left it, so someone had to stay behind. Keith had volunteered, but Lance had put his foot down. It was shocking, but when Lance explained that Keith had yet to meet Hunk’s family it made sense.

The trip was enjoyable for Keith and Hunk. He met Hunk’s family who was pretty similar to Lance’s. They were kind and welcoming. He was reserving hug from them almost every five minutes.

On the other hand, Lance found the time spent alone less than enjoyable. He was a clingy mess when they came back. Neither Keith or Hunk had any issues with that though. They loved the attention and affection he threw at them. But it was clear his time alone had affected him a lot more than they anticipated.

Luckily, they don’t have to worry about leaving anyone behind anymore. Their _Nest_ has been marked and no one would dare try to take it from them, even while unguarded. They stick together.

Weakly, Lance chirps back. His hands are shaky when Keith goes to hold them. Keith presses a comforting kiss to each knuckle.

“How are you feeling?” He asks. “Be honest.”

Dazedly, he replies, “Pretty shitty, if I have to be honest.”

“Well, this should help,” Hunk says as he returns to the nest with three bowls of soup ready.

Keith helps Lance sit up, who moves tiredly as though weights were strapped to his limbs. He can feel Lance tremble under his hands. He hates seeing his mate hurt like this. It’s like someone just stabbed his chest… but he knows that Lance is feeling a lot worse than him.

“Smells good…” Lance comments as Hunk places a bowl in his hands. His eyes narrow. “Keith made this?”

“Is it really that hard to believe?” Keith retorts.

“You burnt water once.”

“…alright.”

Hunk laughs and sits down on the other side of Lance. “How about you focusing on getting better now inside of bickering, kay?”

Lance whines, “but it’s sooo much fine bugging Keith!”

“You can bug me all you want when you’re not dying. Eat the soup.” Keith says. “Or do we have to spoon feed you?”

Lance pouts, “I can do it myself.”

He then promptly shoves a spoonful of the steaming stew into his mouth. Keith and Hunk wince as the watch. There are a few seconds of silence before he finally swallows.

“…Hot.” He chokes out, sticking his tongue out in an attempt to cool his mouth off.

Hunk pats his back, “Sorry. Should have warned you.”

“Besides the burning… It’s actually really fucking good.” Lance says with a beam. As if to prove his point, he goes from another spoonful, almost forgetting to let it cool.

Keith feels his face heat up at the compliment. “Thanks, I guess. I just followed Hunk’s recipe—”

“Nope. Don’t believe that.” Lance cuts him off. “Recipe’s are just words on paper. You did the work.”

“Yep, that’s true.” Hunk agrees. He’s begun chowing down on the stew like it’s the last meal he’ll ever eat. “Now start eating this work of art you made.”

He can’t stop the smile that forms. So, he simply nods and complies. The stew is good but he’s sure they’re over exaggerating. Lance and Hunk could create something better. But he won’t fight them on this. Instead, he’ll enjoy the meal and hope this does the trick to help Lance get better.

Lance the first one to finish. It’s surprising that he even had the energy to eat so quickly or that much. After a second bowl and a few cups of water, he looks healthier. More alive than on the verge of death.

Even so, they both keep an eye on him. Just because he looks better doesn’t mean he is. He never leaves the nest if they can help it. Providing him everything he needs to get better. He jokingly says he should get sick more often, but they both know he’s getting tired of having to stay in bed.

It sure becomes clear to them when he tugs at their shirts for attention, letting out small chirps. Honestly, how does anyone expect to resist that? Especially when he looks up at them with his soft, blue eyes. He knows how to play them.

They spend the rest of the day in bed with him. Seeing as he’s bedridden. They can’t complain since they enjoy it as well.

The sky is orange as the sun dips down into the horizon. It’s calm out. Lance has fallen back to sleep, nestled between Keith and Hunk. His breathing has become steady and his temperature has decreased as well. It’s like he was never sick to begin with.

Hunk has begun dozing off as well and Keith can’t blame him. They can finally rest easy now that Lance is getting better. His large wing encompasses the both of them. Providing comfort and security.

He smiles as watches his two mates. For the first time in a long while, things are starting to feel better.

They’re all content.


End file.
